A group of nearly 400 Taylor Swift fans has initiated a lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation, in California court, accusing them of price gouging through collusion with partner organizations. The lawsuit alleges that the companies intentionally conspired to inflate ticket prices, potentially violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act—a law commonly used in the U.S. to tackle mob-related and other organized criminal activities.
The plaintiffs point to the chaos that ensued during ticket sales for Swift's Eras Tour in December 2022, where many fans faced prolonged waiting times and issues on the ticketing platform, leaving them unable to purchase tickets that were supposed to be available through an early access program. Meanwhile, tickets began surfacing on Ticketmaster’s resale market at inflated prices, undermining fans' trust in the buying process.
This controversy has prompted a U.S. Senate hearing on consolidation in the ticketing industry and an antitrust lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice aimed at breaking up Ticketmaster and Live Nation. In response, Live Nation labeled the lawsuit a “PR win,” arguing that the majority of service fees go to concert venues and asserting that they do not own stadiums, with primary ticket prices often below market value.
The new lawsuit, while echoing the primary claims of price inflation, expands the list of plaintiffs and is seen as a significant step in the fans’ fight for truth and justice in the ticket-selling industry.
Photo: Jeff Kravitz, Filmmagic, Getty Images
